Friday, January 28, 2011

These were a four part process - they were all started at the retreat last October, all had a little work done on them to get them ready to take to the craft social, they were almost finished at the craft social, then I put the finishing touches on them at home. As usual, they look better in person - if you want to see them that way, come on over - I'll put the tea on!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Having great family to spend the day with. I drove out to the farm yesterday to hang out with my mother-in-law and sisters-in-law; talking to a friend at church before I went, I was reminded that not everyone enjoys a great relationship with thieir inlaws, so I was extra blessed by the day.

Arriving home safely after a long drive on a highway covered in ice, after the aforementioned day at the farm!

Getting to go to your daughter's first ever school basketball game! Life will be a new routine for the next six weeks as now I will be picking M up for piano on Mondays (thank you, Gloria for being flexible!), going to watch a game every Wednesday, and picking her up from practices at 5 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please send me all your favorite slow cooker recipes!! I'm going to need them.

Hearing encouragement. Yesterday at church a friend told me she reads my blog, and that she printed out my up not down prayer to keep as a reminder. Thanks, Auntie Jan. It is good to know that something that came from my heart and my pen was worth something to someone.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

I have a recipe for you. We've been making this one for a few years, and it's a treat. I have lots of good chicken recipes so my monthly menu plan has a few spots that just say 'chicken' and I alternate through them.

This one's from Company's Coming. If you have the Chicken, Etc. cookbook, we also like Blue Chicken (had that last week), Chinese Chicken, Special Legs, Romano Chicken, Cantonese Chicken, Sesame Chicken and Chicken Dumplings.

This is a shot of the filling (I made a half recipe) - it's a very tasty mush!

I should give you an update, because I'm proud of myself and my speed reading abilities... I finished Little Women last night and am ready for book club tonight! Well, except that I have to think up a snack to take...

Monday, January 17, 2011

While I had over a month to read Little Women, I did not request it from the library until a week before our book club night, and I did not get it until tonight. We meet on Thursday and I'm out Tuesday and Wednesday night. It's a good 562 pages, too. I'm 76 pages in - I'll let you know if I get it done in time or not. I may have to indulge in a few late nights!

The cause for celebration is this:

Somebody made the basketball team! They had tryouts last week and had to wait till this morning to find the list posted with the names of the girls who made it. Only 3 of the 15 are grade 6's - I'm so excited to go watch her in a real uniform playing on a real team!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

This one's not complete with all the Ward cousins - Kasden and Mataya were not there on Boxing Day when we celebrated at Grandma and Grandpa's new place in Balgonie. Also, I only had 6 spots in this collage, so I left Madeline out. Shhh... Don't tell.

The two on the left are sisters, the two in the middle on the right are sisters, and the two in front of the trees (top and bottom on the right) are sisters, and belong to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th brothers, respectively.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Once again as January rolled around I thought about a word for this year. A word that I could keep in mind and refer back to, that would keep me focused on what I wanted to be / do / remember this year.

I thought about character, because I just read a great book on how to develop character in your family, and about each of the 10 elements the book had listed that were foundation blocks of character: respect, responsibility, empathy, courage, honesty, integrity, optimism, perseverance, initiative, and fairness. I thought about strength and confidence. Fitness, faith, purpose, trust and enjoy all got some consideration. I thought about curiosity, imagination, interaction, creativity.

What it came down to for me was understanding what I value. This year I want to hold fast to what I value, to remain true to myself and who I am. I chose the word CORE to remind me of all those things above. What's at my core? What I do in each situation is dependent on who I am and who I am choosing to be.

Do you choose a word for the year? I'd love to know what you chose and why.

Saturday, January 08, 2011

I planned to play around all night in my studio while Sean hosted a poker night upstairs, but the creativity and the energy were both lacking. I spent time & played Bananagrams with M until she went to bed, then I lost an hour or so in front of the TV... I did mess around on my new Cricut, and pulled out the layouts that were started but not finished at the scrapbooking retreat in October after not seeing them for 2 1/2 months, but didn't get much done. Maybe today... Although tonight feels like a good night for a movie night.

I ordered some photos from Christmas today, so I'll have new stuff to work with, too, but got thinking about how to arrange the little ones and remembered collages, which I haven't worked with much, but have wanted to. So here for you is a little something I put together... I find that with my blog, my paper scrapbooking doesn't get very much attention any more. My pictures are out there to be seen, by more of you than if I scrapbooked them. That's fine with me - I do enjoy messing around with paper sometimes, but sometimes I want to mess around on the computer, and sometimes I want to sew something and sometimes I want to make something else. No pigeon hole for me.

No pigeon hole for you either - bring your scrapbooking or whatever else you want to work on to our next Craft Social! If you live close by and want to join us, we are meeting 7-whenever on Tuesday, January 18, at Westhill Park Baptist Church. Come to visit!

Monday, January 03, 2011

When I sit down to 'do devotions' in the morning, I have 4 books with me usually.

My Bible, which is the one constant, whether the others get opened or not.

My journal, which is the next most used, and truthfully, I can easily spend more time writing than I do reading.

My notebook where I write out prayers for M - I find it helps me think clearly about what it is I want for her.

My gratitude journal, where I jot down things I am grateful for. Helpful to focus myself on what is good around me.

I wanted to share what I wrote in M's book today, because I think it applies to me as well as her, and maybe you'll find it helpful for you, too.

I pray for up rather than down.
Optimism rather than pessimism.
Acceptance rather than grumbling.
Willingness rather than laziness.
Good rather than bad.
Cheerful rather than grumpy.
Positivity rather than depression.
Up rather than down.

As the Bus Goes By - Prayers For Our ChildrenDormant now, this blog is an archive of prayers I have written and prayed for our two and for the nieces & nephews & other kids we know. Come on over and be inspired to pray for the kids in your world.